Chapter 18.06 — Zoning Map and Zones

Santa Clara Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · ingested 2026-07-06 · Santa Clara

Sections

18.06.010 – Purpose 18.06.020 – Establishment of Zones

18.06.030 – Zoning Map 18.06.040 – Rights-of-Way and Vacated Boundary Lines

18.06.050 – Uncertainty of Boundaries

  • 18.06.060 – Classifaction of Annexed Lands

18.06.010 – Purpose

This Chapter establishes the zones applied to property located within the City and adopts the City's Official Zoning Map.

18.06.020 – Establishment of Zones

  • A. General. The City is divided into zones to allow for the orderly, planned development of the City and to implement the General Plan. Table 1-1 (Zones Implementing the General Plan), below identifies all of the zones adopted by the City. All zones shall be listed and appropriately designated on the City’s Official Zoning Map.

  • B. Base Zones. Every parcel shall have a base zone that establishes the primary type and intensity of land use allowed, along with development standards and regulations for that particular type and intensity of land use.

  • C. Overlay/Combining Zones. An overlay/combining zone supplements the base zone for the purpose of establishing special land use allowances or limitations or development standards and regulations for a particular area in addition to the provisions of the underlying base zone. In the event of conflict between the base zone regulations and the overlay/combining zone regulations, the provisions of the overlay/ combining zone shall apply.

Santa Clara Zoning Code, Title 18 July 2025

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SANTA CLARA CODE

Chapter 18.06

Zoning Map and Zones

Table 1-1 ZONES IMPLEMENTING THE GENERAL PLAN

Zoning Map Symbol Zone Name Allowable Density or
Intensity		 Corresponding
General Plan Land
Use Designations
Residential Zones
R1-6L Single-Family Residential 0.1 - 10 DU/AC Very Low Density
Residential
R1-8L Single-Family Residential,
Larger Parcel		 0.1 - 10 DU/AC Very Low Density
Residential
R2 Low-Density Residential 8-19 DU/AC Low Density Residential
R3 Medium-Density
Residential		 20 - 36 DU/AC Medium Density
Residential
R4 High-Density Residential 37 - 50 DU/AC Medium Density
Residential
R5 Very-High-Density
Residential		 51 - 100 DU/AC Very High Density
Residential
PH-R5 Patrick Henry Very-High-
DensityResidential		 51 – 100 DU/AC Very High Density
Residential
R6 Transit Neighborhood
Residential		 60 - 350 DU/AC Transit Neighborhood
UV Urban Village 100-149 DU/AC Urban Village (Patrick
HenryDrivePlan)
VR Village Residential 60 - 149 DU/AC Village Residential
(Patrick HenryDrive Plan)
UC Urban Center 120 - 250 DU/AC Urban Center (Patrick
HenryDrive Plan)
HD-Flex High Density Flex 60-149 DU/AC High Density Flex (Patrick
HenryDrivePlan)
2.0 FAR
Commercial Zones
C-C Commercial-Community 0.5 FAR Community Commercial
C-N Commercial-
Neighborhood		 0.4 FAR Neighborhood Commercial
C-R Commercial-Regional 0.6 FAR Regional Commercial
Mixed-Use Zones
MUNC Mixed Use-Neighborhood
Commercial		 20-36 DU/AC Neighborhood Mixed Use
0.1 FAR minimum
MUCC Mixed Use Community
Commercial		 20-36 DU/AC Community Mixed Use
0.1 FAR minimum
MURC Mixed Use-Regional
Commercial		 37-50 DU/AC Regional Mixed Use
0.15 FAR minimum
MU-VHD Mixed Use-Very High
Density Residential		 51-120 DU/AC Very High Density Mixed
Use; Santa Clara Station
Very High Density
Residential
0.2 FAR minimum
Office and Industrial Zones
LO-RD Low-Intensity Office/R&D 1.0 FAR Low-Intensity Office/R&D
HO-RD Office/R&D-High Intensity 2.0 FAR High-Intensity Office/R&D
LI Industrial-Light 0.6FAR LightIndustrial
HI Industrial-Heavy 0.45 FAR Heavy Industrial
Special Purpose Zones
OS Parks/OpenSpace N/A Parks/OpenSpace
PQP Public/Quasi Public N/A Public/Quasi Public
HT Historic Combining N/A N/A
PD Planned Development N/A N/A
Planned Development –
Master Community		 N/A N/A
LSAP 8-19 DU/AC Low Density Residential

Santa Clara Zoning Code, Title 18

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ZONING

Chapter 18.06 –

Article 1 – Enactment and Applicability

Table 1-1

ZONES IMPLEMENTING THE GENERAL PLAN

Zoning Map Symbol Zone Name Allowable Density or
Intensity		 Corresponding
General Plan Land
Use Designations
Lawrence Station Area
Plan		 20 - 36 DU/AC Medium Density
Residential
37-50 DU/AC High Density Residential
51-100 DU/AC Very High Density
Residential
N/A Parks/Open Space
N/A Public/Quasi Public

18.06.030 – Zoning Map

The boundaries, designations, and locations of the zones established by this Zoning Code shall be shown upon the map(s) entitled "Zoning Map for Santa Clara " and referred to in this Zoning Code as the Zoning Map. Any additional maps (e.g., setback map, height map) adopted shall also be a part of this Zoning Code by reference. This Zoning Code, together with the Zoning Map, is hereby adopted in compliance with current State planning, zoning, and development laws. Amendments to the existing zone boundaries of any identified zones shall be made by ordinance in compliance with Chapter 18.142 (Amendments [General Plan, Zoning Code, and Zoning Map]).

18.06.040 – Rights-of-Way and Vacated Boundary Lines

Where a public street or alley is officially abandoned or vacated by the Council, the property encompassed by areas associated with the abandoned/vacated street or alley shall be included within the zone(s) of the adjoining properties. If the adjoining properties are in different zones, the boundary lines shall be the centerline of the former street or alley and the extension of the side yard lines of the abutting properties. In the event the street, alley, or right-of-way was a boundary between two or more different zones, the new zone or zone boundary shall be the property line that is created by the abandonment or vacation.

18.06.050 – Uncertainty of Boundaries

  • A. Zones Shown on Zoning Map. All territory within the jurisdiction of the City has been divided into zones as shown on the Zoning Map maintained by the Department, as modified and supplemented by individual zone maps and ordinances. Zone boundaries need not follow property lines.

  • B. Boundary Uncertainties. If there is uncertainty about the location of a zone boundary shown on the Zoning Map, the Director shall determine the precise location of the boundary in the following manner, except as provided in Section 18.06.040 (Rights-of-way and Vacated Boundary Lines), above.

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SANTA CLARA CODE

Chapter 18.06

Zoning Map and Zones

  1. Where a zone’s boundaries approximately follow parcel, alley, or street lines, the parcel lines and street and alley centerlines shall be construed as the zone boundaries.

  2. If a zone’s boundary line divides a parcel and the boundary line location is not otherwise designated by ordinance, the location of the boundary line shall be determined by use of the scale appearing on the Zoning Map.

  3. The boundary of a zone is the center line of the street unless otherwise clearly delineated.

  4. The boundaries shall be deemed to be on the parcel line wherever it appears to be on the line.

  5. More than one zone may occur on a single parcel.

18.06.060 – Classification of Annexed Lands

  • A. Most Nearly the Equivalent. Any land annexed to the City that has not been pre-zoned, shall be deemed to be zoned to a classification under this Zoning Code that is most nearly the equivalent zoning classification in the jurisdiction from which it was annexed.

  • B. Zoning Map Amendment. Whenever it is deemed that the zoning of annexed lands is inconsistent with adopted General Plan land use policy or other applicable City policies, the Planning Commission may recommend, and the Council may adopt the zone classification(s) which shall apply to the annexed lands in the manner specified in Chapter 18.142 (Amendments [General Plan, Zoning Code, and Zoning Map]).

Santa Clara Zoning Code, Title 18

July 2025

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Publication, Apr 2026

ZONING